St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-17
DAKOTA,N CAPITOL.
Its RemOteness Descanted UPOn-.An
Episode i'm Auditor CaldWeIi's
Carapr

ITS RemOteness Descanted UPOn-.A
Career.
Special to the Globe.
BISMARCK, Jan. 16.-The capitol stands
at the head of broad highway that begins
in the center of the town, and runs straight
out to the north until it loses itself in the
SHOWS that bury the wide-reaching prairies.
The capitol is a square mass of brick, with
the north and south wings waiting for
liberal appropriation for their completion.
1t stands on elevated ground that overlooks
the city. and from which a charming view
of the bluffs that flank the west side of the
Missouri river and Apple creek can be had.
In the distance, like a small herd Of buffa-
loes at rest on the gittering prairies, are
the few scattering houses that form the
military post known as Fort Abraham Lin
coin, Clusters old stamping grounds. About
the only thing the capitol has to excuse itself
for having squatted at so great distance
from the city is the beautiful view of the
surrounding country that can be had from
any of its windows or the broad steps lead
ing up to its two entrances. When it was
decided that Bismarck was to have the
capitol, of course it was used to boom the
city for all it was worth, and it was set
down out on
THE BLEAK PRAIRIE.
for the purpose of enhancing the value of
the additions and corner lots lying between
the grounds on which it stood and the city.
The boom that came with the capital
melted with the first chinook that swept
down the valley, and now what might be an
ornament to Bismarck is a ridiculous testi-
monial of her folly. The capitol is SO far
from civilization that it is dangerous to at
tempt to reach the city during a blizzard.
A true story is told of an adventure (. W.
Caldwell, eX-editOr of the Sioux Falls
Press. now territorial auditor, had last
winter. A quarter of mile west of the
capitol, and on the summit of a knoll. are
several half-tilled groves occupied by the
moldering bones Of as many Western des-
peradoes who were sent into eternity by
the accommodating hands of highly re-
spected citizens, either at the end of a rope
or at the report of a revolver. The crumbl-
ing remains OF Tall jim, the horse thief of
the Missouri bottom. One-Eyed Jake, the
great poker player, who had killed more
men then he was acquainted with, Cowhide
Pete. and others. rested there. and the
people who had laid them there were glad
of it. Well, last winter late in the after
noon of one day. a severe blizzard came up,
and the air was so full of drifting snow
that one could hardly see ten feet away.
Auditor Caldwell wasn't anxious to spend
THE NIGHT IN THE CAPITOL
and, muffing himself up in great over
coat of buffalo skin. he went out into the
storm with his face set towards the town.
He had got but short distance from the
capitol when he discovered that he had LOST
his Way. He changed his course a little
and, under the impression that he was
bound for Bismarck, pushed ahead. 1t was
getting dark and tile night became so thick
that he couldn't see five feet ahead of him.
He wandered on for half an hour, when
suddenly his feet failed to touch bottom
and he went down, kerplunk, about four